headmaster

head +‎ master.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdˌmæstɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdˌmɑːstə/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æstə(ɹ), -ɑːstə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: head‧mas‧ter

headmaster (plural headmasters, feminine headmistress)

1. (chiefly UK, Ireland) A male school principal.

The term is gender-specific, and refers to a male in the position. A female in the same role would be called a headmistress. In the United States, the shortened version of 'master' was used in few universities to refer to the faculty leader of a residential space regardless of gender.

• headteacher (UK, gender-neutral)
• principal (US, gender-neutral)

• headstream